Sean. 14. How mull we Pray im Faith ? , 34; tion will be needlefs, it will fave thee that labour, whereas other wife thou wilt perpetually be put to examination : As for inflame ; Thou findeft a (park of fire and coverefi it up again, and letteft it lie wet, to morrow thou wilt be as far to feek,and wilt as hardly find the fpark and know whether there be any fire to morrow as to day. Another know- ing where to have fire clofe by , knows the can as foon fetch it from her neighbour as find it on her own hearth, if there be but a fpark or two, fhe therefore fetches fome, and blows up into a flame , and file layes on fewel to keep in the fire ; So thou knoweft where thou mayefis have Gods Love, viz,. from God, who is near canto them that call upon him,they know they may have it fooner by Prayer than find it by exa- mination; this they blow into a flame , and as when the fire flames we may be fure there is fire without poring to find it ; So when thy :=Graces are in an eminent degree they are fo apparent , that one that bath but half an eye may fee them. 3. By getting the Conditions to which the Promife is made , thou shalt often get what is better than the Promife it felf; for the Promife, is often Temporal when the Condition is Spiritual. I I I. Study much or rather Meditate much upon thefe great Gofpel Myfteries of Chrif{s Satisfaction , of Chrifis Intereft in the Fathers Love , and of the Fathers dêlight to honour the Son, by giving mer- cies, and pardoning ['Inners for his fake. Know that thou greatly dif- honoureft Chrifl when thou goefi timeroufly to God for any Mercy in his Name, and it greatly argues thine infidelity : Suppofe thy friend that was bound with thee for fome great fum of money, and he hear, ing there were Sergeants to arreflthee, fhould put himfelf into their hands to fave thee from prifon, and he fhould be carried to prifon and pay the debt, and fend theeword that he had paid the debt every farthing, if thou fhouldeft notwithflanding be afraid to fee thy Cre- ditor, or [tir abroad, would it not argue that thou believedit not thy, friend had paid the debt ? I V. Go thin with Confidence to God in the Name of Chrill, fìncè Chrift-hath bid thee, or elfe thou haft ftrange thoughts of Chrift. Suppofe a friend of yours fhould bid you go to fuch a great man for fuch a Courtefie,and fhould tell thee that he had fpoken to him in thy behalf, and bid thee not tear, for he could have any thing of him that he fpoke him for, and fhould bid thee go to him in his Name and tell him he Pent thee , if thou fhouldefi ftar.d confidering what to do.., and fhouldeft fear that for all thy friend profeffed he had fo great an Intereft in that great nun, you fhould not find it fo wheti you came to X it 2 >f4
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